"Fiesta de Pollera"
Las Tablas Local Custom Tip by bilgeez

Every July 22nd Las Tablas hosts the Fiesta de Pollera, which is a contest of who made and wears the women's national costume the best. If you arent familiar, polleras are an embroidered dress of lace that are handmade in this area. Some are valued at over $10K USD, they are very intricately embroidered. They take literally years to make. The jewelry and headpieces, usually made of pearls, are also very intricate and costly. Some families make a living out of renting these items out for fiestas and for private parties such as weddings and quincianeras. There is music and dance and a paegant of the polleras. The makers of the polleras hire the prettiest girls in the area to wear their fashions. They have a queen of the festival every year and she is generally chosen to wear the dress voted best at the end of the pageant. Polleras were first worn back in the 1600's, contests to see who made the most intricate and ornate started in the last quarter of he 19th century. The Las Tablas pollera festival has been on July 22nd since 1961, (This yr is the 50th and will be the biggest and best, so I've been told!) decreed by national law. The Fiesta de Pollera is part of the local folkloric festival cycle every year which also include; La Mejorana, in Guarare every September and the Festival de la Camisilla in November. The Lion's Club of Las Tablas sponsors the Fiesta de Pollera every year.I've got other tips on the pollera and Panamanian folk costumes and folklore, please see them for additional info.